We don’t always realize it, but we have bad habits on a daily basis that prevent us from being happy in our lives. But how can we recognize them and get rid of them? Here are the 11 most common bad habits.

1 – Bad habits: staying up too late

Do you stay up too late? Most of the time, we give ourselves a clear conscience by saying to ourselves: “I’m enjoying myself after work”.

So, the question to ask yourself is “Do I get up in the morning tired and stressed?”

If the answer is yes, you’re going to bed too late. And that’s a fact.

In fact, our bodies need sleep to stay in shape and also to reduce the stress that accumulates a little more every day.

So how do you get rid of this bad habit? I invite you to replace it with the good habit of going to bed so as to get 8 hours of sleep.

It’s a quick calculation, and all you have to do is set an alarm 20 minutes before bedtime to take the time to get ready.

Because waking up in the morning in good shape means you can start the day stress-free, and even optimistically!

2 – Give priority to unimportant things

One of the bad habits that ruin our lives the most is giving priority to unimportant things.

And yet, that’s what we do every day.

In fact, haven’t you noticed that you spend all your time dealing with the little things in life, without ever taking the time for the important things like: taking care of yourself, moving forward with your goals, seeing the people who matter to you, recharging your batteries…

So, how do you know if you need to get rid of this bad habit, answer this question: “Do you tend to say: I don’t have time for anything?”

Chances are you’ll answer yes, like most people. Why is that? Because we haven’t learned to take care of the important things. We’ve learned the opposite.

That’s why, to put an end to this bad habit, I invite you to replace it with a good one: scheduling 20 minutes every day to do something important for you.

Find the time that suits you best: in the morning, during your lunch break, in the evening when you get home from work, or in the evening before you go to bed.

3 – Bad habits: grumbling

Here’s another bad habit that keeps us from being happy: grumbling.

Because grumbling positions us as victims. We’re victims of others, of an unfair life and even of ourselves, because we have no will of our own…

Why stop grumbling? Because we’re taking back the power over our lives and our happiness.

In fact, to stop grumbling is to see the positive side of things and of our lives. It means seeing luck instead of bad luck. This makes us feel more confident and grateful.

So how do we get rid of this bad habit? By replacing it with a good habit.

To do this, I wholeheartedly invite you to create a gratitude journal. It’s a notebook in which, every day, you write down 3 things you’re grateful for today.

To think about it, I invite you to set an alarm on your phone, either in the morning before going to work, at lunchtime or at night before going to bed. Find the time that suits you best. Test if necessary.

In fact, practicing gratitude will help you grumble less and less, as you become more positive.

4 – Doing too many things at once

Little do we know that doing too many things at once is one of the bad habits that prevent us from being happy.

In fact, we even believe the opposite. In fact, we believe we have to do just that if we don’t want to miss out on anything in life.

But if we do too many things at once, we end up with stress in our lives.

Because we’re led to believe that we’re meant to do several things at once, when in fact that’s all we’re meant to do.

Why are we here on Earth? To do as many things as possible in a single day and get stressed out? Or are we here to enjoy everything and end our days in peace?

Actually, it’s our choice.

And if you tend to end your day stressed and exhausted, like most people, it’s time for you to replace that bad habit with a good one.

Which is? Doing just one thing at a time.

To do this, I invite you to practice simple tasks. In fact, the next time you go to do the dishes or fold the laundry, train yourself to do just that task and concentrate entirely on it.

Because doing one thing at a time doesn’t mean folding the laundry while thinking about work, and it doesn’t mean working while thinking about the laundry to be folded.

It’s folding laundry while thinking about laundry and working while thinking about work.

Can you imagine what your day could be like? So much simpler! Indeed, when your thoughts, attention and actions are aligned, you’re immediately more at peace.

5 – Bad habits: watching too much television or using the telephone

How much television do you watch per day, per week? How much time do you spend glued to your phone, per day, per week?

I invite you to be really honest with yourself.

Because TV and phones are time thieves. So I’m not saying you shouldn’t watch TV or your phone at all, I’m saying you should slow down.

Maybe instead of watching TV every night, you can do something else one or two nights a week.

Like what? Work on a personal project, indulge one of your passions, prepare for that future vacation you’ve been dreaming of…

Because, all too often, we think we don’t have enough time, but it’s mainly because we’re not using it in the right way to be happy.

In other words, don’t fall into one of those bad habits that ruin your life without you even realizing it.

So commit to not watching television every night. Commit to not looking at your phone all the time.

In fact, why not give yourself phone-free afternoons and TV-free evenings?

6 – Staying at home

Staying cooped up at home is one of those bad habits that ruins your life without you even realizing it.

Are you regularly depressed? Do you feel lonely?

Then it’s quite possible that you don’t get out into nature enough, that you don’t get out enough to see the people you love.

In fact, because we’re tired from our day or our week’s work, we tell ourselves we’re going to rest on the sofa.

But what we don’t realize is that we’re thirsting for fresh air, for warm interactions with the people we love.

In other words, I invite you to get rid of this bad habit by implementing a good one.

To do this, make a commitment to go for a walk in nature at least once a week (a park will do) and to see the people you love (family, friends) at least once every 15 days, 3 weeks or 1 month. Make it a routine, a way of life.

7 – Bad habits: repeating that you lack self-confidence

It’s quite possible that you repeat to anyone who will listen, and especially to yourself, that you lack self-confidence. Like most people.

It’s normal, it’s because we haven’t learned to trust ourselves. Quite the contrary, in fact.

We’ve been taught to see our flaws and be ashamed of them. And we’ve been taught to fear failure and what people will say.

So how can we free ourselves from one of the worst habits that prevents us from being happy?

To do so, I invite you to understand that it’s normal to be afraid of doing things for the first time, to be afraid of failing and even to be afraid of succeeding.

In fact, self-confidence is simply going beyond our fears. Taking small steps despite our fears.

That’s why I’m inviting you to set up a good habit: every week, do something that scares you. Just one little thing.

Because that’s how you’ll develop your self-confidence.

8 – Hiding your body and criticizing it

Not liking your body is one of the worst habits for keeping you from being happy.

In fact, not loving your body means constantly rejecting yourself, criticizing yourself every day.

We have a body, and that’s just the way it is.

Unfortunately, we haven’t learned to love our bodies as they are. Quite the contrary, in fact. Because we’ve been led to believe that we can shape our bodies according to our desires… well, according to society’s desires.

Indeed, it’s magazines, ads and films that tell us what a beautiful body looks like.

But all bodies are beautiful because we don’t have the power to change them.

In other words, I invite you to get rid of this bad habit by implementing a good one.

Give yourself 3 compliments about your body every day. In front of the mirror, looking straight at yourself.

Learn to love your body. The way it is!

9 – Bad habits: dwelling on the past

The past is gone, yet we continue to dwell on it.

In fact, it’s not we who dwell on it, but our thoughts. But because we listen blindly to our thoughts, we keep harking back to it.

In fact, what I want you to understand is that you don’t have to listen to your thoughts and therefore to dwell on the past.

Because dwelling on the past means still experiencing your sorrows and anger, and living out of touch with the present.

In fact, it means not being able to grasp the joys of everyday life, and therefore locking yourself up in sadness or anger.

That’s why I wholeheartedly invite you to get into the habit of coming back to the present moment.

In fact, it’s quite possible that you regularly find yourself dwelling on the past, feeling ashamed or ashamed of yourself, or telling yourself that there must be a reason for this.

So, at times like these, instead of pondering the whys and wherefores, come back to the present moment.

To do this, focus on your 5 senses: “What am I seeing, touching, smelling, tasting and hearing?”

Stop thinking. Stop thinking. Feel. Live in the moment.

10 – Project yourself into the future

Just as we dwell on the past, we also project ourselves into the future. And this is one of the bad habits that prevent us from being happy, because the future frightens us and makes us anxious.

That’s why I wholeheartedly invite you to do the same thing you do when you find yourself dwelling on the past.

In other words, when you notice yourself stressing about tomorrow or a future event, come back to the present moment.

Focus on your 5 senses.

Because life can’t be controlled. You can’t go back and change the past, just as you can’t predict the future.

So breathe, feel and live in the moment.

11 – Bad habits: maintaining toxic relationships

Keeping toxic relationships is one of the habits that prevent us from being happy. We’re just becoming aware of it.

But what can we do to get rid of this bad habit? To do so, I wholeheartedly invite you to implement this good habit: always come back to the forefront of your life.

Because, all too often, we let other people’s words and actions take over our lives.

We wonder why so-and-so said that or did that, and what we could have done to make them say or do that.

At times like these, we let others take center stage in our lives.

That’s why when you realize that you’re giving too much importance to one person, it’s time to come back to yourself.

What do you think? What do you want to do? What do you like?

Focus on yourself rather than on others. Because you can’t control them, you can’t change them. You don’t even have to understand them.

In fact, you’re here on Earth to get to know yourself and build your own happiness.

In other words, come back to yourself. Come back to the foreground.

Find out more:

I invite you to read these 2 complementary articles:

Discover Unhappy people: 10 mistakes that ruin their lives
Discover Happy people: their 15 favorite habits

I recommend this inspiring book:

Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself by Joe Dispenza

Joe Dispenza explores the impact of habits on personal well-being and happiness. The book examines the neuroscience of habit formation and the role of the mind in creating patterns that can impede happiness. Offering practical ideas and transformative exercises, Dispenza guides us to break free from negative habits, foster self-awareness and create positive change. Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself provides a roadmap for overcoming harmful habits, empowering us to cultivate a mindset that fosters lasting happiness and fulfillment.

This book is full of interesting information. It also clearly shows you how to do the meditations. You’ll make a difference in your life when you follow the meditations. I recommend it to people who want to radically change their lives.

Thank you very much for reading this article.

If you liked it, let me know in the comments.

Take care of yourself